Eminent dancer Rahija Khanam Jhunu passes away

Eminent dancer and choreographer Rahija Khanam Jhunu has passed away at the age of 74. Another dance artiste Laila Hasan has reportedly confirmed the death news. Jhunu passed away at Labaid Hospital at 7am yesterday. The Ekushey Padak winning artiste had been suffering from diabetes, kidney, lungs and heart complications for a long time.
Rahija Khanam Jhunu was born on June 21 in 1943. She was amongst the first batch students of Bulbul Academy of Fine Arts (BAFA). She has also been the principal of the academy and a president of Bangladesh Nrittashilpi Sangstha. Apart from Ekushey Padak she received a Bangla Academy Fellowship among numerous awards won at home and abroad.
Rahija Khanam Jhunu passed her entrance exam in 1960 from the Shiddeshwari Gils School. Nine years later she completed her five-year long certificate course from BAFA. She won the gold medal as the best dancer and joined the Department Dance at BAFA the very same year. She has also been a judge at different national dance competitions.